By Michelle Rayburn – An article from the Camp Connection Volume I, Issue I
One of the main attractions at Arrowhead is the lakefront, especially in the summer. Many an afternoon, the beach is filled with campers who splash in the refreshing water, or build sand castles and bask in the sun. However, the beach has some uninvited guests who enjoy it each day as well. Every morning a flock of Canadian geese leaves unwelcome evidence of their goose gatherings and every morning Phil or one of his maintenance helpers has to shoo off the geese and clean the beach with a rake and a shovel. Imagine how the beach would look if someone didn’t clean it every day!
Sin and attitudes in our lives can sometimes be like the goose droppings on the beach. Every day, a new clean-up challenge faces us. Some days, it’s a negative attitude and others it’s jealousy. Sometimes we struggle with bitterness and anger, and other times our minds are consumed with impure thoughts and greed. Imagine what our hearts and minds would be like if we never took care of the sin that creeps back into our lives every day. Like the beach, the build-up would quickly become unbearable.
One of the challenges we gave to young people at Arrowhead last summer was to live out their faith; and part of living out our faith is learning how to clean up the sin in our lives on a daily basis. In Ephesians 4:22-24 Paul tells us to put off our old self and to be made new in the attitudes of our minds. It’s like God giving us a clean set of clothes that Paul goes on to explain has been created to be like God in righteousness and holiness. If we are to live in righteousness and holiness, then we must ask ourselves every day, “What sin do I need to clean up today?”
What “geese” do you need to chase away? What sins keep coming back that you need to confess to God every day? God is faithful to forgive us when we ask (1 John 1:9).
By Jeremiah Harder – An Article from the Camp Connection Volume I, Issue I 